College Board should rethink funding formula

May 13, 2008 09:46 am

— The outrage expressed by Delta State University students over the College Board decision to cut funding to small colleges is shared by anyone who cares about higher education in Mississippi.
College Board members aren’t appointed just to protect the state’s big colleges, such as the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi. Smaller state colleges, such as DSU, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley State University and Mississippi University for Women are of vital importance for the students they serve and the communities that surround them.
Last month, the College Board voted to “rebalance” the appropriations allocated to the universities beginning with the FY 2009 allocation.
“The board’s current funding formula, which accounts for institutional differences in mission, productivity, and size, was adopted in 2003 to allocate funds; however, declining or stagnant appropriations have prevented implementation of the formula,” according to a statement.
As a result of the action, funding will be rebalanced so that after six years, all institutions will be allocated funds based on the board’s adopted formula.
Delta State will lose more than $175,000 because of the shift. Alcorn State, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State and the University of Southern Mississippi will lose $10,000 to $136,000 each, while Mississippi State and Jackson State University are not affected.
If enrollment and state funding, among many other variables, remain unchanged for six years, ultimately Ole Miss would get $10.9 million more, while Delta State’s budget would be cut by $5.3 million.
Amy Whitten, in line to become the next College Board president, said the funding that smaller schools have been getting is disproportionately high.
“We’ve been studying the inequality and watching the inequality grow over the last five or six years,” she said.
Heaven forbid that schools like DSU and MVSU that traditionally serve poorer students should get a slight, very slight advantage over schools like Ole Miss with wealthier alumni and larger foundation funds.
Smaller colleges provide a quality education for students who can’t afford to — or don’t want to — attend one of the South’s premier party schools.
Ole Miss has deeper pockets, which is a good thing. It will need those deep pockets to stuff the rest of the state’s college money.

— Delta Democrat Times,
Greenville